We live in a society where bad news spreads like wild fire and good news spreads like a walking turtle"

IQRA

it was safe to say that MD was horrified at our family entering the place

literally, the staff were staring at us like we were aliens

even the kids were behaved!

The girls stared at Bhai, Shaheer, Shumar and Shumayll as if they were meat, the Managers were running around, whispering The Edrahim's are here, that's our ship-name that the tabloids have given us, and well the customers were staring wide eyed

okay so we hardly come to MD

its usually some hotel or take away

not MD

even though its halal we hardly come here

"Uhh why are they staring at my husband as if he is free food?" sneered Ruqayyah bhabhi and I chuckled

"Exactly!" muttered Huma didi

uhuh

"Right about it!" muttered mom

i turned to her with disbelief

"What?" she shrugged

"So true!" replied Riza aunt and i sighed

Wow

"Iqra, you wanted to eat, order!" said abba and i sighed

"Uhh can we take away- like this place is creeping me out-" i muttered and everyone groaned, again, causing everyone to turn to us

not that they were not already staring

"Okay- cool- everyone start ordering- we are outside with the kids" said Shumayll, tilting his head towards the slides and swings

"Alright" replied abba and Shumayll and Iqraam bhai walked out with Shaheer bhai

"Mc flurries!! Oreo" i said and then set down, staring at the damned phone

why wasn't any of my messages going?

I played around with the phone before heading outside to my car

the bodyguards turned to me and i smiled at them

on occasions like this, we had bodyguards and a whole set of cars that we took

yes

no carpooling at times though

"What are you doing outside?" asked Iqraam bhai as i set on the bonnet of my Toyota 4D hilex, my legs handing infront on the bumper of it

"Nothing, why?" i asked, shutting my phones light off and turning to him

he took a seat beside me and chuckled

"I saw you out, so yeah- how are you feeling btw?" he asked me and i smiled widely at him

"I am fine atm" i said

it hurt

it hurt that Alex touched me in most inappropriate ways but i can't change the past, i can face the present and live the future only

"I am so glad Shumayll was on time" he said, genuinely

The tips of my ears reddened, i swear

"Uh yeah, me too" i muttered

"So.............. I heard you and Shumayll are back with being friends?" He said

I played with my phone

"yeah, I guess so" I replied, absentmindedly

"Uhuh" he replied

I turned to him and gave him a confused look

"What?" I asked him

there was something he was hiding

"Nothing- Its just......." his voice trailed off

"Just what?" i asked him and he sighed

"Just that i wish you would be more open to me like every sister is to her brother- i mean if only you could tell me your fears, thoughts and feelings, like you did during childhood- it would be very much appreciated" he said and i stared at him

what?

"I tell you things!" I protested

it was not true

i don't

"We both know you don't" he replied as a matter of factly

"You also don't tell me things!" I retorted sitting up straight

"Uhuh- because you don't!" he replied

why is he making it sound like its all my fault?

"Shit- Iqra i am sorry- Its not your fault- its just............" he said immediatly and i chuckled

"Its cool.... just what?" i questioned

"Its just that i feel sad at the fact that my very own kitkat is hiding things from me" he replied running his hand though his hair

I smiled at him

"Kitkat is old enough to handle things on her own" i muttered and he sighed

"At least tell me the fact that you like him!" he blurted out and my head snapped towards him, almost breaking my neck off

"What?" i asked and he bit his lip

"Uh nothing?" he replied and just then, my head made a spin, putting things into places and bam- Shumayll had told him

oh hell was about to break lose

"He told you" I stated and he shrugged

"It did not hurt me that he did, it hurt me that you didn't!" he said, almost sadly

how am i suppose to tell my older brother that i like his best friend?

"Bh-Bhai, I uhh can explain?"

damn i made it sound like a question

"I don't need explanations, All i need is the whole story- that too from you- that as well, by today!" he said looking at his watch and then me

My eyes went wide

why is he not angry and breaking things?

"Why are you not angry and breaking things?" i asked him and he chuckled

his arms slung over me and he grinned at me

"I was angry at first, but then when i thought of it- well i guess, its best for you to be with someone i know like the back of my hand than with someone i don't know" he replied and i blushed

"IQRA!" Called bhabhi and i turned to her

"Yeah?" i asked her and she handed me my McFlurries

"Thanks!" i said as she handed bhai his

"So why are you two sitting on the bonnet of the car?" she asked us as the rest of the fam walked lazily out of the door

"Because.........." I said and turned to bhai

he smirked

"We can!" he replied and we both burst into fits of laughter

"Alright people, lets go home! Its almost Magrib" said Abba and we nodded

i stood up on the bumper and jumped down on the ground, almost falling

keyword almost

and what did Chihuahua do?

he stood there laughing!

"Hehehe- very funny" i retorted and he laughed harder

I shook my head and headed towards the driver seat of the hilux

Before i could open the door, Shumayll opened it

"What?" he asked me

"I am driving!" I made it clear

"No i am" he replied and i growled

"NOOOOOOOOO" I whined and he laughed

"No" he replied and i sighed

I walked around the vehicle and took the passenger seat, pulling my seat belt

"If I die, I will haunt you forever!" I muttered and he laughed as he put all the windows down

I put on some random song, as Daadi mah, Bhabhi and Huma didi got into the back seat

well Shumayll was suppose to be going with bhai and Shaheer bhai but i guess something went wrong

"Shumayll, be careful, I don't want to die!" said Daadi mah, almost curtly

whaatt?

I hit the song up and lay my head back as he drove

His phone rang and he turned to me

'I am not answering it!" I said and he groaned

"Open the dashboard and hand me the bluetooth-" he said and i did as he told

He placed it in his ears and hit answer

"Shumayll Edris" he said, professionally

oh this guy can be formal too?

wow

who knew!?!

"Yes Tina- uhuh- No- not now- I need at least a couple more days- its not finalized yet- I have other things to do Tina- you- of all people- should know that-" he said

Tina, his P.A and my good friend

he hung up soon and i chuckled

"Shumayll you should not talk on the phone while driving!" retorted daadi mah and i saw Shumayll's hand tighten around the wheel

"Huma, Remind me next time to not travel with him! Jab dekho tab yaha waha raheta hai! Patani kya dekh kar Edris neh-" she said and Huma didi cut her off

(Hes always here and there, Don't know what Edris...)

"Daadi mah- we are planning on shopping soon, would you like to join?" she changed the topic

On this daadi mah laughed

I turned to Shumayll and his eyes were in slits on the road

Oh hell

I cleared my throat

"uh yeah, Bhabhi, remember the ring i showed you?" i asked Ruqayyah bhabhi and she nodded

"I think i might buy it- i mean its cute-" i chuckled and she nodded

"When we go shopping" she said and i nodded on this

Shumayll parked the van infront of the house and everyone got off

i was opening my door when he locked it

i turned to him

"Why did you lock it?" i asked him and he smiled at me

He had stubble and it looked good on him!

"wait-" he said

his hands went around his neck and he unhooked one of his necklaces, it was the tribal one

He placed it on his hand and extended it to me

"Here" he said and i stared at it

This was the Tribal Fijian Necklace that the PM of Fiji had presented Shumayll with- it was about 5 years old- he always had it on

"I can't-" i said and he smiled at me

"I know you don't like expensive things so this is the best i can give you" he said and i stared at him

he nodded and pushed his hand

I sighed and took it

"Fine-" i muttered and he grinned

"Keep it close to your heart and i will always be there-" he said and i grinned at him

I turned and he opened the door lock

Once i was off the van, I could not help but smile at the guys cheesiness as i clenched the necklace in my hand

it was a simple one, black cord with husk kinda thing braided around it- it had beads and one simple S to symbolize many things

"Why are you smiling?" whispered Ruqayyah bhabhi cheekily as she walked beside me

"I am not!" I protested and she laughed

We walked into the house and departed to our rooms

I took a shower and changed into leggings and tees that said "Sup?" With a cool emoji on it

I stood in front of the dresser staring at myself

The thoughts on Alex came back

I was running and when he caught up with me, I felt a stinging pain before I collapsed.

All I know was that when I woke up, I was tied to a wall, he stood infront of me and smiled sadistically. What had I done to him? And upon question, his lame answer was his male ego. I hurt him and he would hurt me back. I vividly remember him ripping apart my dress, leaving marks on my fair skin. It burned. It still does. Just the thought of him touching me that way burns my skin. He did not rape me, no. But what he did may be considered equal to it. After all, no one would believe that a man let a girl go with marks on her arms and waist without raping her. His very words.

"This society will never let you live peacefully. Even if I did not take your innocence, there is no prove and without it, they will continue to pester you. You will remember, day in and day out, the consequences of fighting against men"

I shivered wrapping my arms around my body as tears formed in my eyes.

He was right in a way, I was doomed.

But Shumayll, he is the one I am most worried about.

After what I saw today in the car with Daadi mah, I know that one wrong move from him and he's good as dead.

And I also know that Shumayll would reach the sky to protect me, even if it means he'd get hit on the way.

And what's worse is that he told Bhaiya about us, whatever we are-

And Bhaiya wants an explanation.

A good one.

How will I explain?

I set down on the bed, with my phone. I cannot tell Bhaiya this face to face, so I'd just text him. Good enough.

So I did.

I told Iqraam Bhaiya whatever happened, from day 1-

If anything is to happen, shall happen.

For now, I am glad for the Almighty for protecting me.

This society, I'll deal with it later.